Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd angrily dismissed any link between an increase in playing time for Kyrie Irving and the guard’s torn ACL, describing it as a “freak accident”.
Irving suffered the injury during Monday’s game with the Sacramento Kings and will miss the rest of the season.
The 32-year-old has had to step up following the controversial trade that saw Luka Doncic depart for the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 39.3 minutes of court time over the past 10 games, the most in the NBA over that period.
“No one feels sorry for us, this is a business.”
Mavericks’ HC Jason Kidd addresses Kyrie Irving’s season-ending injury. pic.twitter.com/P5vSMqSpSG
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 6, 2025
Irving stepped on the foot of Kings center Jonas Valanciunas on Monday. Despite lying on the court in pain for several minutes after suffering the injury, Irving got up and hit two free-throw attempts before leaving the game.
No conspiracy, just an freak accident – Jason Kidd
And Kidd insists that was the sole reason for his setback.
Speaking before Wednesday night’s game with the Milwaukee Bucks, which they lost 137-107, Kidd said: “We’re talking about one play.
“Not many before that. It’s a freak accident, that’s how it should be reported. We’re reporting on conspiracy theories. We want our stars to play. This isn’t supposed to be a rest league.
“Kai is our leader. Kai also was playing at a high level; maybe some of the best basketball that he’s played in his career. We can’t talk from both sides and say our stars don’t play enough minutes and guys don’t play enough. They rest. But now we’re saying they play too much.”
The setback does little to ease the unhappiness in Dallas with Doncic gone and his replacement Anthony Davis sustaining a groin injury on his debut.
